Portable fence



(No Model.)

S. BENN. PORTABLE FENCE.

Patented Dec. 8

PIC-3-2.-

Qzgtr Samuelfiem FIG-3- wif esszs NITED STATES PATENT @FFICE.

SAMUEL BENN, OF AT\VOOD, ILLINOIS.

PORTABLE FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. .l=61=,549, dated December 8, 1891.

Application filed June 17, 1891. Serial No. 396,578. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL BENN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Atwood, in the county of Piatt and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Portable Fence, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to portable fences; and it has for its objectto provide a panelfence which shall be simple in construction, durable, and efficient, and which may be very easily and quickly put up or taken down, as may be required.

The invention consists in the improved construction of the fence-panels and the means for connecting or looking the same together, which will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the adjacent ends of two panels of my improved fence connected with each other in position for operation. Fig. 2 is a perspective View showing the adjacent ends of two of the fence-panels separated. Fig. 3 is a perspective detail view of the locking-brace for connecting the meeting ends of the panels. Fig. 4=is a vertical transverse sectional view taken at the meeting ends of two panels.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

The panels of my improved fence are to be constructed of any desired number of horizontal rails or planks, the upper ones of which are designated by 1, while the intermediate and the bottom ones are designated by 2. The said rails or planks are qonnected near their ends by vertical posts or stakes 3 3 and at or near their centers and on the same or oppositesides by means of stakes 4, which latter extend upwardly above the top rails. Intermediate strands, as 5, of wire, either plain or barbed, may be employed, such intermediate strands being cut off to the length of the space between the central posts or stakes 4 of the panels and secured to the upper ends of the said stakes. The top rail of each panel is extended at one end, so as to form brackets or arms 7, provided on their under sides with notches 8, adapted to engage the upper ends of the stakes or posts 3 at the meeting ends of the adjacent panels, thus forming a lock,

which serves to hold the panels securely against longitudinal displacement.

In order to support the panels in an upright position and to prevent lateral displacement of the meeting ends of the said panels, I avail myself of a fastening device, which is composed of a pair of stakes 9, which are connected pivotally near their upper ends, the

upper ends of said stakes forming a pair of jaws 10, between which the ends of two of the fence-rails of adjacent panels may be inserted and held or clamped securely, the lower ends of the stakes 9 being retained by inserting them under blocks 11 at the outer ends of a sill or base 12, which is formed of a pair of planks 13, suitably connected by means of bolts 14, the spacing-blocks 11 being interposed at the ends of the sill or base. By this construction of the said sill or base the ends of the stakes or braces 9 may be securely retained in such a position that the jaws formed by the upper ends of the said braces shall clamp and securely hold the rails at the meeting ends of the panels. At the same time this construction of the sills prevents water from accumulating to the detriment of the sills and braces. It is also obvious that the relative dimensions of the parts may be easily regulated, so as to cause the braces to clamp and hold the panel-rails very firmly and securely.

rails of the abutting panels are adapted to be snugly seated, thus rigidly securing the fence against lateral displacement or derangement.

By my improved construction a fence capable of resisting any strain to which it is liable to be subjected may be constructed easily, quickly, and at a moderate expense. The panels are connected in such a manner as to enable them to be readily separated when desired without injury to any of the parts, no nails or similar fastenings being employed for the purpose of connecting the panels.

The individual panels of the fence may be constructed of rails alone or of rails and wires combined, the latter construction being preferred, it being cheaper and less liable to be overturned in the case of high wind.

Having thus described my invention, I

The two strips 13, forming the. base, are further provided with central squared recesses 15, into which the bottom 5 stakes, said posts or stakes near the meeting ends of the panels terminating short of the top rail, the top rail of each panel being extended at one end and provided in its under side with a squared notch or recess adapted to to engage over the top or upper end of said short vertical post of the adjacent overlapping pane], and means for clamping the overlapping sections together and holding said rails in their locked positions, substantially 15 as set forth.

2. In a portable fence, the combination of the panels having horizontal rails connected by vertical posts or stakes, the top rail of each panel being extended at one end and 20 provided in its under side with a notch or recess adapted to engage the upper end of the end vertical post or stake of the overlapping adjacent panel, the fastening-stakes pivotally secured together in pairs and provided at their upper ends with clamping-jaws engaging the meeting overlapping ends of the rails of the adjacent panels beneath said top rails and holding the panels together and said top rails in their locked positions, and the sills or bases engaging and holding the long lower ends of said pivoted clampingstakes in a locked position, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL BENN.

\Vitnesses:

W. F. BEREFIEL, E. P. MARSHALL. 

